Marius Fransman challenges his suspension from the ANC

Former ANC Western Cape chairperson Marius Fransman challenges his suspension from the ANC

Former ANC Western Cape Chairperson Marius Fransman

The gloves have come off in the ANC in the Western Cape as suspended party leader Marius Fransman fights to retain power.

In a bid to challenge his five-year suspension, former Western Cape ANC chairperson Marius Fransman is expecting judgment to be handed down against the ANC integrity committee on Friday.

The respondents in the matter are ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe and commission deputy chairperson Frene Ginwala.

Fransman has been the subject of disciplinary proceedings after he was accused of sexually harassing 21-year-old Louisa Wynand while they were traveling to the party’s January 8 celebrations in Rustenburg.

His position has been the source of much confusion after the ANC’s head of elections, Nomvula Mokonyane, said earlier this year ahead of the local government elections that he was back in his job as the party’s provincial leader.

However a few days later, Mantashe said Fransman had not been reinstated and that Mokonyane had been under pressure when she made the announcement.

The sexual harassment case against Fransman was sent to the Northern Cape’s Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), after the DPP in North West decided not to proceed with the case, due to insufficient evidence. The Northern Cape DPP had some queries and had sent the docket back to the investigating officer.

Meyer said Fransman had voluntarily stepped aside, while Mantashe said they had asked Fransman to step aside after a national working committee meeting.

In November, the ANC’s National Disciplinary Committee announced it had found Fransman guilty on two counts of misconduct, and suspended his ANC membership for five years.

The ANC said the two counts against Fransman related to “abusing his office for the purpose of attempting to obtain a sexual favour from Louisa Wynand”, and for making public statements which brought the ANC into disrepute.

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